*Comedian Amber Ruffin has secured a new hosting role with PEN America’s May 15 gala, following her controversial exit from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Ruffin was removed from the WHCA event after labeling the Trump administration “a bunch of murderers” on The Daily Beast podcast. The decision to drop her came from WHCA President Eugene Daniels, who emphasized keeping the dinner focused on recognizing journalists’ achievements rather than divisive politics.
During the podcast appearance, Ruffin dismissed the idea of balancing jokes between political parties, a request reportedly made by the White House Correspondents’ Association. Instead, she argued against humanizing the Trump administration, saying, “they shouldn’t get to feel that way, ‘cause they’re not.”
The remarks ignited criticism, particularly from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, who labeled her a “2nd rate comedian” and condemned the event as “hate-filled and violence-inspiring.”
Following the controversy, Daniels informed members in a letter that the organization had been reassessing the dinner’s format.
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?? BREAKING: After claiming that the current Trump Administration are a bunch of murderers, “comedian” Amber Ruffin has been fired from the White House Correspondents’ dinner
Do you think this is a right move ? pic.twitter.com/Qh55sBJziA
— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) March 30, 2025
“As a first step, I wanted to share that the WHCA board has unanimously decided we are no longer featuring a comedic performance this year,” wrote Daniels in a letter to its members. “At this consequential moment for journalism, I want to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists.”
PEN America has embraced Ruffin’s outspoken style. Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, the organization’s co-interim CEO, praised her as a vital voice amid rising censorship, saying Ruffin embodies “the talented creators who we need on stages and in writers’ rooms.”
Reflecting on her firing during her CNN show Have I Got News for You, Ruffin quipped, “I lost the gig because I was out here talking s–t.”
She added, “And I think it’s a good thing that I lost the gig because I was going to show up there and act all the way out.”
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Amber Ruffin Addresses Decision to Cancel Her WHCA Dinner Appearance | Video
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